Burglars in Spain posed as phone workers to case premises

MADRID (AP) — Spanish police have arrested three suspects who allegedly committed 26 burglaries in the southern city of Malaga after posing as telephone engineers to study their targets.

Police said in a statement Sunday that the detainees allegedly disguised themselves and paid unannounced visits to determine where alarm systems, security cameras and safes were located. Later, they would break in and use blowtorches to remove cash, jewelry, haute-couture clothing, luxury cars or even legs of Spanish ham.

They were discovered after a security guard became suspicious when a suspect dressed in a phone company uniform insisted on inspecting rooms where there were no phones. When police investigated, they found the suspect's ID belonged to a 76-year-old woman from another city.